Medusa is a mythical figure that I haven’t typically paid much attention to…but somehow, recently, she’s worked her way into my consciousness. When I was at The Met in NYC recently, I actually found myself seeking her out: each time I spotted carved or painted snake hair, I felt like I’d spied a friend.
Not to get up on my feminist rage soapbox, but I think it’s the very nature of Medusa that is drawing me in. The idea of a mythical being whose defining characteristics are the opposite of the beauty that’s usually required for feminine power is exactly the hero that women need right now.
This new collection from Sofia Zakia is why Medusa’s been on my mind. I’ve been seeing sneak peeks of the Medusa designs on the Sofia Zakia Instagram story for a while and now that the whole collection is out, they’re even more perfect than I’d hoped.
Sofia Zakia, as you may remember, is the designer who created those creepy and glorious Halloween pieces I went crazy for last year. She’s got a gift for the delicate and figural.
Isn’t she gorgeous?
And by “gorgeous” I mean bold, strong, and striking: Sofia Zakia has done a fantastic job rendering this legendary figure without making her feel excessively Disnified. (She’s a beautiful piece of jewelry but she still looks like a powerful mythical monster, not a pretty pretty princess.)
I don’t know how Sofia Zakia got the idea for these decayed-looking, Medusa relic designs, but they really float my boat. They feel so ancient and eerie in a powerful way. These are some serious talismans.
Talk to me, friends. Is anyone else feeling the allure of Medusa recently, or is this just a weird misandrist reaction I’m having to current events? What do you think of the Sofia Zakia Medusa pieces?
Images c/o Sofia Zakia.
The first thing you need to know about Sylvie Collection is that it’s a family-owned business with a strong commitment to ethical sourcing. Sylvie is the name of the actual designer, who is a real human that I’ve met in person. She’s absolutely lovely; and she and her husband have been creating award-winning jewelry for 30 years now.
It’s not possible to overstate the versatility of a good diamond stacking ring. It can fly solo, it can compliment the sparkle of a ring on another finger, it can share a finger with a ring that needs a little extra oomph, it can stack with MORE diamond bands, it can stylishly anchor a ring that’s too big (very useful in winter).
Sylvie Collection was kind enough to gift me a ring, but, as always, my opinions remain my own. Thanks again to John Greenan & Sons for welcoming me into their store and to Sylvie Collection for my #MatchTheStack ring! 
In 1795, Marie Antoinette’s only surviving child, Marie-Thérèse de France (1778-1851), “Madame Royale,” was released and sent to her family in Austria. Upon her arrival in Vienna in 1796, she was given her mother’s jewels by her cousin, the Austrian emperor. Since she never had children of her own, Madame Royale bequeathed part of her jewelry collection to her niece and adopted daughter, Louise of France (1819–1864), Duchess of Parma and grand-daughter of Charles X, King of France (1757-1836), who in turn left them to her son, Robert I (1848-1907), the last ruling Duke of Parma.
I keep wanting to introduce each piece by saying “this was one of my favorites!!” but really that applies to every piece here. If something wasn’t one of my favorites, I didn’t ask the fine folks at Sotheby’s to take it out of the case.